- Joined
- Nov 29, 2000
- Messages
- 1,926
Adzes are rarely discussed here (or on most other related forums), even though they, or at least the stone varieties, are amongst the most ancient woodwoorking tools mankind has used.
Today they are still frequently used in South-Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Greece, countries of the former Yugoslavia) and in adjacent Asia (Turkey). There are still several manufacturers of adzes locally, but it is telling, that China also manufactures and exports to these countries several variations of a basic pattern used in these areas, which suggests that there is still a strong demand for these hand tools there.
It is possible that today adzes are widely used in other parts of the world too, but I dont have info about that.
Recently, I have scored a good deal on a straight woodworking adze, or more correctly, on an adze/hammer/nail puller combination tool from a seller in Bulgaria called Ivan Tasev (AXESSIVE.com and mapsyst on evil bay). He sells several curved adzes for bowl carving, hatchet/adze combination as well as traditional Bulgarian/South_Eastern European patterns of bearded axes too. I found him accidentally, while googling adzes, and he had positive reviews on the lumberjocks forum too, so I decided to try out these adzes.
The adze is made of cast 4150 steel at HRC 50-55, and the hammer poll is used to pound nails. The slot in the blade is capable of pulling out some substantial nails, which is enhanced by the nicely angled/slanted orientation of the bit.
The handles are round, tapering, tomahawk style and made of beech wood (European beech, Fagus sylvatica). The handle was advertised as 14 long. I have received a 16 handle, but the head slides only to about 14, so I guess the protruding part should be cut off, in order to be able to use the nail puller function, or the end could be whittled down to have a longer handle.
Beech handles were traditionally, and still are widely used in Europe for striking tool handles (hammers, adzes, even axes), and also for chisel, screwdriver and knife handles. While not as springy and tough as ash or hickory, it is still quite a good handle wood, especially for shorter handles. It performs about as well as hard maple, birch, and several species of oak. In many European countries beech is the most abundant hardwood species, and since it is not very well suited for construction (for which oak was preferred), or very long shafts of pole weapons (for which ash was the wood of choice), it was used for making tool handles, indoor furniture, implements and utensils. Beech wood is quite hard, and it can be sanded smooth. In fact, it can yield a smoother surface than oak or ash.
The metal head is stamped with the latin letters MF, which I suppose, may indicate a manufacturer either outside Bulgaria, or if a Bulgarian one, that it was made mainly for export.
I find this tool combination very utilitarian and ideally suited for rougher construction work, involving wood shaping, nail pounding or pulling. Of course I realize, that, as all multitools/combination tools, this one cannot completely replace a specialized tool, and it is likely a poorer hammer than a designated one, but overall, I think it is an ideal tool for gardeners, for a project involving lighter construction work, or even for campers.
In the latter setting, it can be used to make tent stakes, pound them, make and thereafter dismantle a makeshift shelter with the help of nails.
Using nails to build an emergency or makeshift shelter with the help of nails, in most instances and for most people, can be done much faster, than using cordage, and requires less knowledge and skills.
This tool can also be used as an improvised trowel to dig, but it will definitely blunt the edge.
The straight adze can be highly efficient for processing kindling, making feather sticks, splitting small diameter firewood, and can be used as an improvised tool to split bones while processing game. However versatile though, it is not a replacement for specialized tasks requiring skinning knives or machetes.
Overall, I am satisfied with this tool and what it can do. :thumbup::thumbup:
Today they are still frequently used in South-Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Greece, countries of the former Yugoslavia) and in adjacent Asia (Turkey). There are still several manufacturers of adzes locally, but it is telling, that China also manufactures and exports to these countries several variations of a basic pattern used in these areas, which suggests that there is still a strong demand for these hand tools there.
It is possible that today adzes are widely used in other parts of the world too, but I dont have info about that.
Recently, I have scored a good deal on a straight woodworking adze, or more correctly, on an adze/hammer/nail puller combination tool from a seller in Bulgaria called Ivan Tasev (AXESSIVE.com and mapsyst on evil bay). He sells several curved adzes for bowl carving, hatchet/adze combination as well as traditional Bulgarian/South_Eastern European patterns of bearded axes too. I found him accidentally, while googling adzes, and he had positive reviews on the lumberjocks forum too, so I decided to try out these adzes.
The adze is made of cast 4150 steel at HRC 50-55, and the hammer poll is used to pound nails. The slot in the blade is capable of pulling out some substantial nails, which is enhanced by the nicely angled/slanted orientation of the bit.
The handles are round, tapering, tomahawk style and made of beech wood (European beech, Fagus sylvatica). The handle was advertised as 14 long. I have received a 16 handle, but the head slides only to about 14, so I guess the protruding part should be cut off, in order to be able to use the nail puller function, or the end could be whittled down to have a longer handle.
Beech handles were traditionally, and still are widely used in Europe for striking tool handles (hammers, adzes, even axes), and also for chisel, screwdriver and knife handles. While not as springy and tough as ash or hickory, it is still quite a good handle wood, especially for shorter handles. It performs about as well as hard maple, birch, and several species of oak. In many European countries beech is the most abundant hardwood species, and since it is not very well suited for construction (for which oak was preferred), or very long shafts of pole weapons (for which ash was the wood of choice), it was used for making tool handles, indoor furniture, implements and utensils. Beech wood is quite hard, and it can be sanded smooth. In fact, it can yield a smoother surface than oak or ash.
The metal head is stamped with the latin letters MF, which I suppose, may indicate a manufacturer either outside Bulgaria, or if a Bulgarian one, that it was made mainly for export.
I find this tool combination very utilitarian and ideally suited for rougher construction work, involving wood shaping, nail pounding or pulling. Of course I realize, that, as all multitools/combination tools, this one cannot completely replace a specialized tool, and it is likely a poorer hammer than a designated one, but overall, I think it is an ideal tool for gardeners, for a project involving lighter construction work, or even for campers.
In the latter setting, it can be used to make tent stakes, pound them, make and thereafter dismantle a makeshift shelter with the help of nails.
Using nails to build an emergency or makeshift shelter with the help of nails, in most instances and for most people, can be done much faster, than using cordage, and requires less knowledge and skills.
This tool can also be used as an improvised trowel to dig, but it will definitely blunt the edge.
The straight adze can be highly efficient for processing kindling, making feather sticks, splitting small diameter firewood, and can be used as an improvised tool to split bones while processing game. However versatile though, it is not a replacement for specialized tasks requiring skinning knives or machetes.
Overall, I am satisfied with this tool and what it can do. :thumbup::thumbup: